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Friday, January 27, 2012

Mary's Mixed Bag

Hi Toads and Friends. Mary here again with a new "Mixed Bag" that I hope you will enjoy. In brief, I would like you to think about conversation and how to work conversation into a poem. You could write poetically based on a conversation you have had, a conversation you fantasize , a conversation you overheard, a conversation you would like to have, etc. Just be sure that your poem involves conversation

I am going to share a few 'conversation poems' which may (or may not) inspire you. I generally find that the work of other poets inspires me, and maybe this is true for you too.

Naomi Shihab Nye is one of my favorite poets. I heard her read her poetry once, and believe me it was wonderful. The first Naomi Shihab Nye conversation poem I am sharing is "Kansas" from her book Words Under the Words.

Kansas

Driving across the centre of Kansasat midnight, we’re talking aboutall our regrets, the ones we didn’t marry,who married each other, who aren’t happy,who should have married us.Ah, it’s a tough world, you say, taking the wrong road.Signposts appear and vanish, ghostly,ALTERNATE 74.I’m not aware it’s the wrong road,I don’t live here,this is the flattest night in the worldand I just arrived.Grain elevators startle us, dark monumentsrimmed by light.Later you pull over and put your head on the wheel.I’m lost, you moan. I have no idea where we are.I pat your arm.It’s alright, I say.Surely there’s a turn-off up here somewhere.My voice amazes me, coming out of the silence,a lit spoon,here,swallow this.

Interesting how she worked conversation into that poem, don't you think?

Now that you have taken a look at that one, I am going to share another one by Naomi Shihab Nye. Actually this is a favorite poem of mine. I decided to share it second rather than first. It is "The Art of Disappearing" also from Words Under the Words.

The Art of Disappearing

When they say Don’t I know you?say no.

When they invite you to the partyremember what parties are likebefore answering.

Someone telling you in a loud voicethey once wrote a poem.Greasy sausage balls on a paper plate.Then reply.

If they say we should get togethersay why?

It’s not that you don’t love them any more.You’re trying to remember somethingtoo important to forget.Trees. The monastery bell at twilight.Tell them you have a new project.It will never be finished.

When someone recognizes you in a grocery storenod briefly and become a cabbage.When someone you haven’t seen in ten yearsappears at the door,don’t start singing him all your new songs.You will never catch up.

Walk around feeling like a leaf.Know you could tumble any second.Then decide what to do with your time.

Here is another conversation poem, a bit different. It is "Lesson" by Ellen Bryant Voight, from her book Shadow of Heaven:

Lesson

Whenever my mother, who taught small children forty years, asked a question, she already knew the answer. "Would you like to" meant you would. "Shall we" was another, and "Don't you think." As in "Don't you think it's time you cut your hair."

So when, in the bare room, in the strict bed, she said, "You want to see?" her hands were busy at her neckline, untying the robe, not looking down at it, stitches bristling where the breast had been, but straight at me.

I did what I always did: not weep --she never wept-- and made my face a kindly whitewashed wall, so she could write, again, whatever she wanted there.

The last poem I am going to share is "The Telemarketer's Call" by John Lehman. It was included in his book Dogs Dream of Running.

The Telemarketer's Call

Tonight, as I finish making calls,a man tells me, "I'm going to die."He's taken pills and now the painof age and losing those he's lovedis draining from him fast. What he wants is forgiveness and sinceI've phoned, mine will do. I sitlistening and think about my life,scrambling for money while youeat dinner with your wife or watchTV with children on some couchor, for spite, pretend you're dying.I hesitate, then hang up.

The poems above are a few examples of 'conversation poems.' I have faith that each of you will take the prompt in your own direction. I look forward to reading what you come up with. Post the link to your poem using Mr. Linky below! Have fun.

I actually wrote this Thursday (the day before my prompt was scheduled to appear), just had a bit of fun with it; but I do hope to write something of a more serious nature IF I find the time. I will look forward to seeing what others come up with. Have a great weekend too.

Ah, this is a lovely challenge, Mary. I shall do my best to respond though I'm a bit brain-dead on Fridays. Thank you for all the effort that went into this post. I loved the poems you used as examples.

'La Conversation Galante', the title of my piece, can be translated as 'Civil Conversation'. What was interesting to me while writing it was that I tried to write it as a one-sided conversation, where what is not being said is as important as what is.

New here--just followed Teresa over. It sounds like it okay for none members to link? The challenge brought together a piece I have had in my mind for the past two weeks. I love the poem The Art of Disappearing. Looking forward to more reading.

I took a slightly different take with the prompt - most of the conversation that takes place in it is nonverbal. I think in some ways this poem was quite different than the things I normally write. What a great challenge!

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